“In 2021, it is anticipated that people will continue to wake up to alternatives and understand that there is an expectation from the end-user and the general public for different, more environmentally-focused products moving forward”, James Herbert, Global Sales Director, ALTEK

Even with the challenges of 2020, the global aluminium industry and the various markets it supports are coming back, with the automotive industry seeing more demand and packaging production holding strong. As companies focus on “building back better” in the aftermath of the pandemic, the environment remains a crucial priority. Many organizations, including ALTEK, are having conversations with customers regarding what they can do to meet their sustainability objectives.

Organizations are still prioritizing sustainability amid COVID-19 because of existing corporate social responsibility goals and mandates they need to meet. The circumstances of the past year prompted many in the industry to reflect on what is important to them and what their values are. Our travel habits changed, we flew and drove fewer miles causing less pollution. In 2021, it is anticipated that people will continue to wake up to alternatives and understand that there is an expectation from the end-user and the general public for different, more environmentally-focused products moving forward.

The industry’s future depends on sustainable technology development and reducing the carbon footprint of aluminium production. ALTEK is prioritizing a philosophy that supports green aluminium and has developed a range of technologies that maximize metal recoveries throughout the production chain. Dross is an unfortunate by-product of the industry, and today, a significant amount of metal units continue to be lost from the value chain forever. ALTEK is focused on helping the global industry to change this trend through its suite of technologies and services. ALTEK is the first and only global provider of end-to-end solutions for sustainable aluminium production, handling every step of aluminium dross processing. As a commercially viable and scalable full-service solutions provider, ALTEK utilizes the best available technology. While maximizing the value from dross and reducing losses has always been a part of ALTEK’s vision, expanding on these principles is a major company objective this year.

Although many in the industry have traditionally viewed dross management and processing as non-core and the “dirty” side of the industry, the world is changing, and there is an increased focus on the circular economy, how dross is recycled and disposed of. ALTEK is no longer just an equipment supplier and has established proven and scalable total dross management services to maximize aluminium recoveries and achieve zero waste for its customers.

Along the way, ALTEK offers customers true collaboration under its “ALTEKadvance: Partnering” pillar. By working closely with its partners, ALTEK identifies opportunities to radically modernize cast houses to deliver a new level of partnering for on-site services. ALTEK designs, builds, owns, operates and maintains facilities and infrastructure to revolutionize and improve processes, efficiencies and safety – ultimately pioneering a step-change in aluminium manufacturing. ALTEK’s additional new brand architecture pillars that set the company apart from competitors include:

• ALTEKadvance: Thinking – This is specific consultancy and project work focused on delivering recommendations around providing particular customer solutions.
• ALTEKadvance: Insight – Insight is a bi-annual magazine, launching in 2021 that will be a leading industry mouthpiece for market trends and everything that is happening in the aluminium industry.
• ALTEKadvance: Solutions – The Company’s innovative technology has been developed to provide advanced, leading-edge solutions to age-old problems, delivering end-to-end results that revolutionize every aspect of the cast house process. The outcome is the best range of technology available to reduce dross generation, maximize aluminium dross recovery, improve efficiencies, and provide significant environmental and recycling benefits.

We sit at a critical juncture for the future of sustainability in our industry. The latest scientific evidence on the health of the world’s ecosystems has resulted in urgent calls to action being made to preserve the planet, which is why the European aluminium’s circular aluminium action plan has set a strategy for achieving aluminium’s full potential for a circular economy by 2030.

The changes to the way we work and think about sustainability as a result of the pandemic, and resource depletion overall, mean the aluminium landscape will no doubt look very different at the end of this year compared to the start of 2020. COVID-19 has presented an opportunity for many organizations to review their sustainability goals and technologies, and ALTEK is positioned to make sure that sustainability becomes a central guiding principle in the years to come.